Someone to Save You
by PierDreams
Summary: It's up to him to save her. Rated T for some violence.
1. Single Pane Window

Skulduggery Pleasant FanFic #1

A lone shed, weather-ravaged and slightly crooked, jutted out of the burnt highland scene. The icy wind rattled its cracked single pane window and slid frozen fingers through the numerous imperfections in the wooden walls. _Far_ too many imperfections, thought Valkyrie Cain, and shivered. Her partner and longstanding friend looked over and tilted his head. Skulduggery Pleasant didn't feel the cold due to his convenient skeletal condition. Valkyrie huffed and turned back to the lightly frosted window. With numb fingers, she traced a sun and wished for warmth. No such luck. She returned her eyes to the plains outside.

They were staking out a deserted area in the country, south of Dublin. Well, they had been before, but it didn't exactly work out like that, and between a lot of punching and curses, they had been outnumbered and were forced to retreat. Skulduggery had mumbled something valiant about retaining their pride and advancing in reverse, but the truth was that they were now stranded. No phone to call for backup. No passersby to lend help, not even one damn farmer out in this wasteland. It was just Skulduggery and Valkyrie up against Darren Wield and his followers.

The man called himself a revolutionary, a preacher of sorts. He used brutal tactics but was, unfortunately, an excellent speaker. Wield was of a similar class to Philomena Random and Geoffrey Scrutinous, only he could change the minds of others without magic. And that made him much, much more dangerous. They were unsure of his chosen magical division, making him a risky wildcard in an already unfavorable deck.

Wield worked at convincing the masses that the Sanctuaries oppressed and wronged them. He could convince even the most mild-mannered to lace their blood with explosives and detonate in the midst of a crowd.

Valkyrie didn't like the guy.

"Darren Wield will regret this," muttered Skulduggery.

Valkyrie looked over at him. He was holding his cherished hat between his gloved hands and angrily trying to smooth out its creases.

"He stood on my hat. He _stood_ on it," Skulduggery continued, hands still worrying the brim of the maimed headgear.

Valkyrie's face dropped to an expression of horror.

"See?" he continued, "that is a truly obscene crime-"

"I can't smile! I tried to smile and nothing happened! My face is frozen. And we're sitting in this stupid shack, just waiting for Wield to show up and throw us around the place again, and there are too many holes in this damn hut. And you aren't even giving me your jacket!"

Skulduggery surveyed her calmly, ensuring that her sudden temper had passed. "You're cold?"  
"Bloody freezing."  
"I don't really want to take off my jacket."  
"For me?"  
"Valkyrie, you're wearing thermal regulation clothes, the like of which the rest of the world would drop to its knees and grovel for, and you still complain of the cold."  
She pouted. "It's just my face and fingers."  
"So you want to come put your face inside my jacket?"  
"Oh god no, that would be...awkward."  
Skulduggery tilted his head, and she knew he was smiling. "Fine, come here."

She scooted over to him where he sat, legs extended and leaning against the wall, and settled next to him. He opened his jacket and she leaned against his bony chest, resting her head on the exquisite silk of his shirt. Skulduggery shifted slightly so they were both comfortable, then closed his jacket around her.

"Compromise. I didn't have to take off the coat, and you get warmth."  
Her only reply was to sigh happily. After a few minutes, Valkyrie mumbled sleepily with a smile in her voice. "I love you, Skulduggery."  
He paused before answering.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Valkyrie awoke to Skulduggery's hand on her shoulder, shaking her to alertness.

"They're here," he whispered.  
She instantly sprang to action, crouching at the window. Cautiously, she raised her head a few centimeters and caught a glimpse of their surroundings. Burnt heather. Stunted trees. Men and women in black clothes, advancing towards the shack.  
She cursed quietly; then turned to look at Skulduggery.

"Only those with nothing to worry about will approach without stealth," he muttered. Valkyrie shot him a glare, then took another peek at the sorcerers striding confidently forwards. She counted quickly, and came up with twenty. Flashing the outstretched fingers of both hands twice at Skulduggery, she set to stretching the cramps from her back and neck. He stopped her with a hand, and dragged her in close to whisper in her ear.

"There's more of them than that, for sure."

The breath that carried his words tickled her ear. She pushed her dark, straight hair behind it and waited. Skulduggery pulled back and looked at her curiously.

"What?" she mouthed.  
"Plan?" He mouthed back.

Valkyrie stared at him incredulously.  
"_You_ make the plans. Not me. I'm the muscle. You're the brains," she exclaimed, forgetting to whisper.  
Skulduggery stood up, pulling her with him. Again, he spoke softly into her ear.  
"I think it's time to change it up, don't you?"  
She snorted quietly. "Maybe you're right. I need to get an idea about this planning stuff."

She chewed her lip lightly, and gazed into the middle distance for a dramatic ten seconds.

"I've got it. Run like hell, then punch a couple of them in the nose."

Valkyrie felt Skulduggery's shoulders move a little against hers. "What? Do you have anything better?"  
His shoulders sagged.  
She laughed lightly.  
"It's not like we ever have a plan anyways," she smiled.  
"We're too good for that," Skulduggery agreed.

Valkyrie suddenly realized how close they were standing. Awkwardly, she tried to back off, but his gloved hand was at her back, holding her close.

"Valkyrie-"  
"No. Nothing will happen to us. Nothing ever does. We're just gonna beat them up and then go. End of story."

Skulduggery sighed, but pulled her into a close hug. His hand stroked her hair smoothly. She buried her face in his suited shoulder, breathing in his scent of expensive leather and cologne, fighting back sudden tears.

He broke off the hug, stepped back, and looked at her.

She brushed at her eyes angrily and looked away. Skulduggery held her hand, pressing his thumb lightly into her palm.

The door of the hut shuddered under the force of the knock that confronted its withered wood.

Valkyrie grinned rakishly.

Wield had arrived.


	2. Stormclouds

In the eerie stillness before the hurricane strikes, sounds echo. The trees hang as if stunned, making for an abrupt change to their previous thrashing. The water flattens until it resembles a dead lake. The wind drops as if cut by unseen hands.

Valkyrie Cain experienced all of these various silences as the battle she was about to engage in loomed overhead.  
Their enemies moved silently - or not at all, for all they knew - outside of the fragile shed. The icy wind stilled its gusting, leaving a fragile, crystalline quiet in its aftermath.

And right through the middle of the stillness, her heart galloped. Its pounding seemed ridiculously loud, like it could be heard by all for miles around. Her breathing also seemed excessive, despite her attempts to calm it. Yet even with all of the noises her body made, both Valkyrie and Skulduggery heard the small _schick_ of the pin outside the still hut.

Her brow furrowed slightly at the sound. She turned to look at Skulduggery, to see him lunging towards her. By the time Valkyrie realized what the noise was from, it was already too late. The grenade detonated.

The aged wooden wall of the shed exploded inwards, spraying splinters at lethal speed as the rest of the wall flung its full weight upon her. She toppled beneath it. From the corner of her darkening vision, she saw Skulduggery tossed away by the concussion of the grenade. As he tumbled through the air, as the hurricane returned with a force, Valkyrie succumbed to unconsciousness.

"...and they ask us what we fear. What do we fear? Lies. We fear that those who claim to protect us, lie. And that is why, Miss Cain, you have been placed in this situation."

Valkyrie groaned and moved to sit up. Instantly, agony shot through her. She stifled a cry as the pieces of wooden shrapnel moved in her flesh, and the leaden weight above her forced downwards. The man sitting by her head chuckled.

"What a pity you can't even turn your head to look at me," he sneered.

"Darren Wield," she choked out.

"Surprisingly, no. He's not here yet, but I so kindly offered to babysit you until he arrives," Valkyrie opened her eyes and blinked rapidly as the voice continued, "so you and I get to have some fun."  
He moved in closer until his cloying breath misted her cheek. Valkyrie struggled to clear her eyes, to see anything more than fuzzy outlines. The man's stink clouded her nostrils. She cried out and struggled, tears welling as fear of the unknown swelled. Just as she thought she might pass out again, a rough voice yelled out something, and the man's warmth disappeared. Another set of hands, soft and caring, alighted on her cheeks.

"You okay?" came the husky voice.

"Skulduggery?" whispered Valkyrie.

She opened her eyes. A brown-haired young man knelt by her side, dressed in a tweed waistcoat and beige shirt. His bright green eyes bored into hers.

"My name is Darren Wield."

* * *

So tell me what you think? It's a little shorter than last time, but this is chapter 2 of a story that's going to continue. I lurve ideas, anyone who reads this tell me what next, if you want any parts included. Sorry for any slip-ups! And thank you so much for readin' and commentin'. If you want. I'd really like you to!


	3. Reinforcements

Skulduggery cursed, loudly and viciously, as his left radius and ulna disappeared into the stinking sludge. He plunged his functioning right arm into the marsh mud and heaved the bones out with a squelch, then proceeded to painfully reattach them to his humerus.

As he worked, Skulduggery recalled Darren Wield's army dismantling his limbs, then dumping his body at this god-forsaken corner of the burnt highland. His body tensed with fury.

Yet the freezing anger intensified as he thought of Valkyrie, lying crumpled in the palm of the enemy.

But he needed backup. Skulduggery couldn't face this enemy alone; he would just be endangering them both by charging in by himself.

He pushed the anger down and turned to begin the long slog down the mountain.

* * *

China smoothed her beautiful knitted sweater as she glided across her tasteful apartment to the phone. Its delicate ringing had alerted her to the fact that she was receiving a call, and with Valkyrie and Skulduggery missing in action at this point in time, she could easily guess the subject of the call. China tapped the speakerphone button with one elegantly manicured finger.  
"Hello."  
"China," Skulduggery's voice, taut with anger, came through the phone lines.  
"Skulduggery," she replied, standing straighter, "it's very nice to hear your voice. You do know you've been the talk of the town since you and Val disappeared -"  
"There's no time. They've taken Valkyrie. I need backup and Fletcher isn't answering his phone."  
"He's here right now. What happened -"  
"Tell him to get to Cayrefield. He's been here before. Bring Tanith and Ghastly too. And send word to bring Cleavers."  
"Skulduggery -"  
"China. Now!"  
He hung up.

* * *

They appeared in front of him: Tanith, looking fiercely protective in her tight leathers, Ghastly with his intimidating scars and physique, China with her beautiful dark hair and light eyes, and Fletcher with his obnoxious hair but determined eyes. The four broke the contact that had allowed them to teleport along with Fletcher, and approached Skulduggery.

When he spoke, his voice was low and quiet. As he filled them in on the situation, his voice occasionally became strained, and the rage that he controlled broke through momentarily.

It scared Tanith.

She had faced down hundreds of foes over her lifetime, imprisoned the scum of society, and locked away the worst criminals there were. But this was different.

This was almost insanity.

Tanith wasn't the only one to notice something was off. Ghastly took in his friend's strained voice and filthied suit. Mud dripped slowly from the lapels, and Skulduggery did nothing to stop it. His usually treasured hat was missing, and the lace of his right shoe was undone. Ghastly frowned, and shared a glance with Tanith.

"Fletcher. We need you to take us up to the plateau," Skulduggery jerked his head to the west, "and then you can stay or go. Whatever you care to do."

Fletcher's eyes narrowed with hurt and confusion, but he complied, and everyone linked arms.

China blinked, and suddenly they were standing on soft mud, gazing out at miles of black; a burnt and festering wound in the skin of the earth. She shuddered with revulsion. At her side, Fletcher squeaked and pranced as his shoes began to sink into the squelched mess below them. She heard him mumble something about how he didn't want to spend his vacation to Ireland rescuing his ex girlfriend and ruining his shoes. China's lips curved into a smile.

Skulduggery took off at a run, heading for where he knew the decimated remains of the shack would lie. The wind whistled through his eye sockets, bringing a lonely keening that filled his head. Abruptly, the pain in his chest spiked, and he bent over, wrapping his arms around his ribcage. Skulduggery _needed_ her back. He _needed_ Valkyrie by his side, with her witticisms and her intelligence and strength and support and her dark eyes watching him. The pain grew to be too much, so he shoved it away and focused on getting her back.

He straightened up, glanced over his shoulder, then took off at a sprint.

* * *

**So I'm gonna write in bold now, so you know it's me!**

**First of all...a huge shout out to the most amazing Guest who's my first reviewer! Thank youuuuuuuuuuuu xx and in reply, even though length is not my forte, I'm gonna start trying to extend these chapters. I've already written the next couple of chapters so they'll be short, but I'll fix that soon.**

**Smerfrlger. Maybe you noticed all of my story shuffling going on, but I think I know how to work it now. Lol that's embarrassing. **

**But there's like 27 views for this already, second day up! Yay!**

**I'm gonna go now. This is getting awkward.**

**Oops btw I forgot to say that I don't own any of these characters; they belong to the one and only Mr. Derek Landy (except for Darren Wield, he's minee) but the story ideas are my own.**

**I promise I'm leaving now.**

**Please rate&review(: **


	4. A Muddy Incident

Valkyrie gazed at her hands where they lay in the dirt next to her. Her fingers were curled slightly. She laboriously dragged her eyes to her wrists.

They were unbound.

Excitement surged. She could escape from here, wherever here was. It took too much energy to recall that small detail, so instead Valkyrie focused on movement. She tried to pull her arms in closer, to push herself to a standing position.

Nothing happened.

All of a sudden, they looked too far away. Miles stretched into the distance between her brain and her fingers. She turned her face to the sky and closed her eyes.

A man stepped into the room. He glanced briefly at the realistically painted walls and ceiling, then snapped off the light. His footsteps retreated.

* * *

Fletcher tried not to think of the mud that was clogging his socks and ruining his jeans. He didn't dwell on the icy wind stinging his nose. He just thought of the warm Australian sun and of helping out Valkyrie - yet again - and of getting back to Myra. A small smile curled across his face.

He noticed Ghastly watching and quickly wiped the smile from his face.

Ghastly turned away from Fletcher and instead focused on Tanith as she walked in front and to the left of him. Ghastly obviously wasn't very good at watching subtly because she too noticed. She smiled and held out her hand to him. He grasped it and smiled back at her. They walked on, hand in hand.

Skulduggery stalked back and forth through the wreckage of the shed as he waited for the others to arrive. China walked up, closely followed by Ghastly and Tanith, holding hands. Skulduggery cocked his head slightly, and the two let go of each other. Tanith's face burned and Ghastly shifted from foot to foot awkwardly. Last to arrive was Fletcher.

Skulduggery motioned at the shoes hanging around Fletcher's neck. "Made a scarf, have you?"

Fletcher looked down at the mud oozing over his socked feet and considered admitting to the real purpose of the shoes over his shoulders, but rejected it immediately. They would never stop teasing him for wanting to keep his shoes clean.

"It's a new weapon I'm trying out. You wave it around like this," Fletcher whirled the Nikes, tied at the shoelaces, above his head, "and then you let 'em fly!" With a ninja-like war cry, he released the shoes.

They soared through the air, spinning wildly, and wrapped themselves around China's ankles as she attempted to get out of the way. China overbalanced, slipped in the muck, and fell with an _oof_.

Fletcher looked horrified. He scrambled towards her to help her up as Tanith howled with laughter. China sat up slowly. With deliberate motions, she unwrapped the shoes from her ankles and tossed them away from her.

"Fletcher...there is mud under three of my fingernails. One of them is cracked," China continued as Fletcher winced, "There is more in my hair. And in my sweater. Did you know that this was hand knitted by the descendants of the Furies themselves?"

Fletcher cringed. "China, I...I'm really sorry."

She stared him down.

"Um. Also. There's some mud on your cheek."

Tanith was rolling on the ground in silence at this point.

China shot up and lunged at Fletcher, taking him off his feet. He landed sprawled in the mud, and she knelt on his back and began rubbing mud in his face. He gagged, and China dropped a dollop of filth in his hair. Then she stood up and brushed herself off.

"I hate you all," she mused, and flipped her hair over her shoulder in time to catch Fletcher full in the face. He sputtered and dropped.

Even Skulduggery's head tilted in a smile at that.

Ghastly chuckled. "That's exactly what Valkyrie would say."

Instantly, everyone sobered.

"Let's move."


	5. Smoke and Starlight

His hand rested at her waist, and her head leaned on his shoulder. Tanith and Ghastly sat together and watched the starry skies above them. Even here, in a place so desolate, so horrid, there was beauty.

Tanith stretched her sore legs and silently thanked Skulduggery again for agreeing to an overnight rest. They had bedded down a few hundred meters away, but she and Ghastly had come here for some privacy. She was actually surprised that Skulduggery had agreed to a stop, because it was obvious how worried he was. Barely any clues as to Valkyrie's whereabouts could be found: the marsh swallowed all evidence.

Tanith's heart clenched as she thought of Valkyrie, alone and in the claws of that villain, Darren Wield. Her little sister, somewhere out here. Maybe even dead. It would have been easy...the swamp would swallow a body with no problems. Her bones, undiscovered. Her body, broken and soulless, disappearing into a wet and stifling grave, hundreds of years too early -

Tanith gasped, nearly sobbing. Ghastly gently placed his hand along her jaw and turned her face to his.

"Was it Valkyrie again?" he asked softly.

She nodded. "I keep on picturing all the horrific things that could be happening to her." She closed her eyes.

Ghastly brushed his thumb across her lips. "Let me take you away from it all, just for a while," he whispered.

"Please do," she whispered back.

He leaned his lips down to meet hers, and she slung her arm around his neck.

Tanith broke off the kiss. "So are we an item or something?"

Ghastly swooped in and planted a kiss on her lips. "Would you like to be?"

She grinned. "Course."  
"Well, then, Tanith Low, it looks like you're off the market...you're mine now," he grinned back.  
"Much obliged, Mr. Bespoke," she joked, affecting an American accent.  
He stared into her eyes. "I mean it, Tanith."  
She kissed his jaw. "I know."  
Ghastly smiled slowly.

* * *

Skulduggery burned with impatience as he scanned the ground ahead for a sign, any sign of where to go next. He lifted his head to the sky with frustration, and froze suddenly.

"Do you see that?" he asked quietly.

"Smoke," stated China.

Instantly, he was a blur of activity. "Fletcher! We need to get close, quickly. We need you to teleport us to the hill there, so we can scope out who it is, and then, if necessary, make a plan. I believe that this will be Wield."  
"Who the hell else would want to be out here," muttered Tanith as they all linked arms.

Fletcher closed his eyes and teleported the five of them. His feet squelched. He grimaced. Tanith pulled him down and out of view, and his hand plunged into the marshy ground. "Seriously?" he whined.

China fixed him with a glare, and Fletcher's hair wilted a little.

China glanced towards where Skulduggery had been. He wasn't there anymore. She cast around with her eyes to find him running, crouched, down the slope. China sprinted after him.

"Where do you think you're going?" she whispered sharply. His eye sockets turned to her.  
"I'm going to find Valkyrie."  
"What about the rest of us? Did you even think about that?"  
"I'll only need your help if we're going to have to fight our way out."  
"So you were just going to run in and check all of these buildings, by yourself, with no lookouts, hoping you won't run into anyone unsavory, until you find her and come running back to us with her over your shoulder?"

Skulduggery was silent.

Tanith laid her hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see the rest of the group crouched behind him.

"Face it. You need us, mate," said Fletcher softly.

Skulduggery sighed, then addressed them all. "So what's the plan?"

* * *

**I know. I'm a sucker for Ghanith. And you probs noticed the Valduggery...which for some reason I've always wanted to call Skulkyrie. Is that weird? I kinda like it. Maybe if I mention that you'll know what I'm talking about. Or maybe not. Haha.**

**Is anyone else insanely excited for August 29th? Last Stand of Dead Men? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Hold. Wait. Need. To. Breathe. That cover art!**

**It is coming out in the US on that date, right? **

**Please say yes.**

**Please.**

**Well that's it! Hope you enjoyed it, there's more on the way(:**

**Please rate&review, PM me, tell me what you think(:**

**And you're sweet, XxbeautifulxX134. Thx for the reviews!**


	6. Safe and Sound

A small, virtually unknown village existed on the Cayrefield marsh. Low mud dwellings huddled together, squatting menacingly in a basin. Altogether, there were perhaps six huts, made of rough mud. A few had other materials mixed into their sludge, but altogether, the result was…unappetizing.

Skulduggery Pleasant crouched behind the scanty heather brush and surveyed the scene. At his side knelt Tanith Low, Fletcher Renn, Ghastly Bespoke, and China Sorrows.

The five of them quickly and stealthily began to descend the hill down to the settlement.

Fletcher arrived first. He teleported into the shadowy stillness that cloaked one wall of the farthest-out dwelling. In the inky cold, he waited for the others. His hands rested against the rough surface of the hut. _So different from Australia,_ he thought.

But why did that feeling sit awkwardly? It lay crooked inside of him, and was an itch that required scratching.

Because Fletcher Renn was feeling guilty. He was being selfish and inconsiderate. His friends - his adopted family, really - were here, in Ireland. It was hard, and it was gritty, and it sliced at your fingertips as you tried to hang on for dear life.

It was the real world.

Fletcher's hand clenched against the wall.

Australia was a soft and sweet and warm retreat. Everything had rounded corners. The thorns were trimmed from the rose. The claws were -

"Oi!"

Fletcher startled and opened his eyes.

"Quit feeling sorry for yourself. I've already asked you three times to get a move on," hissed Tanith.

"Sorry," he mumbled, and, taking a deep breath, peeked around the edge of their cover to sight his target point.

Fletcher disappeared with a slight _pop_ of air rushing to fill a vacuum.

A warbler's sweet birdcall rang out across the empty streets: that was the signal from Fletcher that the coast was clear.

China led the way across the deserted alley in a fast, crouched run. They entered the next building down the street; a small hut with an empty, open doorway.

"Doesn't it seem sort of daft to have a place for a door but not actually have a door?" mused Ghastly as they waited for Fletcher to join them.

Tanith cracked a small smile, and Ghastly's heart lightened.

Fletcher teleported into the entranceway. Skulduggery joined him and the two exchanged a few mumbled words. Skulduggery stepped out of the pool of darkness and into the street.

An instant later he came diving in again.

"Backs against the wall," he whispered urgently, "sorcerers coming...hide!"

He moved into the black recesses by the door and reached into his jacket for his gun.

The voices increased in volume as the enemy's sorcerers approached.

Skulduggery tensed with fury. These were the men who were holding Valkyrie, _his_ Valkyrie, captive.

Across the room, China shook her head at him.

He thumbed back the hammer on his Beretta and held the gun close, hands tight around it.

The voices drew closer, and now their conversation was audible.  
"...so the Sanctuary sent out a _decree_ for us to stop what we're doing."  
"Posh brats. Did they think that would actually stop a man like Darren Wield?"  
"Well, we can show them we mean it now. We've got the girl."  
The other man snorted. "Indeed we do. The magnificent Valkyrie Cain. Slayer of gods. Detective on a mission to nab the baddies. Doesn't look all that much when she's lying in the dirt all quietlike."  
"That syringe cocktail we gave her seems to do the trick on most."  
"Thinks she's somewhere in the southwest bloody desert of America, rather than in that weird little hut with the copper roof -"

Having obtained the information he needed, Skulduggery burst from cover, gun roaring. Ghastly was right behind him with a fireball, and Tanith swept her sword from its sheath. China knocked her knuckles together, briefly illuminating the red tattoos there.

Mages began pouring into the road.

"Go, save Valkyrie," shouted Tanith, "we'll hold them off." She plunged into the fray, sword swinging.

Skulduggery placed his hand on Fletcher's shoulder. "Can you take us there? We passed it on the way in here."

They appeared at the south wall of the building. "Indeed we did," said Fletcher, with a mock salute.

But Skulduggery was already stalking past him, a fireball in his clenched palm. Valkyrie was here. So close. Now, nothing could stop him from reaching her.

Skulduggery turned the corner and hurled the fireball. The sole sorcerer guarding the entrance jumped and flinched out of the way with a small squeak of fear. Skulduggery lunged in, pushing at the air. The man was thrown against the wall. He began to slump, but Skulduggery helped him up with a vicious punch to the jaw. His head ricocheted back, but Skulduggery didn't stop. His fists pounded into the unconscious man as he poured his anger into the strikes.

A hand at his shoulder pulled him back. Fletcher looked at him with wide eyes. "You don't have to kill him."

"I...I don't..." Skulduggery trailed off. His voice, normally so velvety and confident, was cracked and pleading. "I just need...Valkyrie." His purpose returned with a force and he turned to face the door of the hut. With a few lashes from Skulduggery's shoes, it splintered open, hanging limply from its hinges, swaying slightly.

Skulduggery cautiously stepped through into the darkness. With no eyes to call his own, he didn't have to wait to adjust to the new level of light. He simply took in the scene.

Valkyrie lay sprawled on the dusty floor in the center of the room. She rested on her side, facing him; her arms curled close to her body; her dark clothes crumpled and dusty. Her dark hair partially covered her face.

"Valkyrie?" Skulduggery whispered quietly. He was suddenly afraid of what he would find if he went to her.

Valkyrie's eyes drifted open slowly.

"Skulduggery?" she asked in a rasping voice.

At an instant, he was at her side. His gloved hands caressed her face, and lifted her to a sitting position.

"Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?"

She smiled tentatively. "Is it really you?"

He pulled her into a tight embrace. "Who else would it be?"

She melted in his arms, and he heard her breathing. He revelled in the sound of her voice and the stillness of her body in his arms, the _reality_ of her actually being her with him.

"Um, hi, Valkyrie," said Fletcher from behind them. "Sorry to interrupt or anything, but shouldn't we be going now?"

Skulduggery reluctantly released her. She slumped back to the ground.

"Crap," she muttered. "I can't move."

She struggled to sit back up, but the best she could manage was a twitch. Then Skulduggery's arms were around her, lifting her gently. He turned and ducked through the broken doorway, and for one strange second, she was reminded of the way a groom carries his bride into the home. Then they were outside.

"Oh," Valkyrie said.  
"What?"  
"We're still in Ireland."  
He chuckled.  
"I just thought I was in a desert somewhere."  
"Wall paint."  
"Explains a lot. Well, it's good to be home again."

Skulduggery watched her as they passed into the lightness of outside. Her hands were scabbed and scratched. He could see the splinters below the surface of the skin. Where her top had ridden up, there were more lacerations from the grenade's explosion. The damage continued on her face, and there was a bruise above her left eyebrow. Skulduggery's body tightened with anger as he noticed the dark, mottled finger marks that marred the pale skin of her neck.

She saw him looking, and said, "Someone lost their temper with me." She looked away. "I know you're going to ask, but now isn't the time. I'll tell you after. But now we need to leave."

Fletcher joined in. "Also, we need to get the others. Tanith, Ghastly, and China are holding off the others for us."

In response, Valkyrie smiled at him, and he reached out and clutched her limp hand. They teleported.

* * *

Tanith reached out and slashed at the tawny-eyed sorcerer she was fighting. Again, her sword skittered off of the force field that he threw up. The man flicked a puny fireball in her direction, but it soared far to her right. _Again._ This guy seriously sucked at aiming.

Tanith heard someone yell her name. She turned and glanced back. Skulduggery stood next to Fletcher, cradling Valkyrie. Her legs dangled motionless, and her arm hung loosely. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"Time to go!" Fletcher shouted.

Tanith sprinted towards them. Her heart, so still and terrified before, gave a jolt as she saw that Valkyrie's eyes were open and looking at her.

"Hey, Tan," she mumbled.

Tanith rushed to embrace her. "Oh god, I was so worried," she half-cried into Valkyrie's ear. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, really. Most of the scratches and stuff are from before. I'm having a little trouble moving but yeah."

Tanith drew back to look at her friend in concern. She went to say something, but Ghastly beat her to it.

"Hey again, Val." He squeezed her arm gently.

China greeted her affectionately as well. "Hello, darling." She laid her hand on Valkyrie's knee. Ghastly put his arm around Tanith and pulled her close. Fletcher cautiously linked arms with China to complete the group. For an instant, the world dropped away, and then they were standing in the lobby of the Sanctuary.

"Well, that was easy," said Fletcher.

"Hey! I can feel my legs again," Valkyrie chirped happily. With some reluctance, Skulduggery set her down. She stood on her own, then took a few steps forwards.

"Come on, we have to update His Holy Eminence on what went on for the past couple of days, and I don't want to explain this twice in ten minutes," Valkyrie stated, and strode ahead, passing by a group of sorcerers.

Skulduggery fell into step with her, and the others walked alongside. He rejoiced in the feeling: his partner, by his side once more. Safe and sound.

Valkyrie's walk stuttered, and her eyes rolled back in her head. She collapsed against Skulduggery. Before he could react, her eyes had snapped back open again.

"Oops, sorry about that." She gave him a quick hug, her arms sliding inside his jacket, then stepped back.

Valkyrie held Skulduggery's gun pressed to her head.

"Now nobody move."

* * *

**Haha I'm having fun with this one. A lot of fun. And ya know, enjoy the cliffhanger:P this one's for realtawit :3**

**Woah that was long... tell me, is this a good length? Longer? Shorter?**

**Please rate&review (:**


	7. For What We Will Kill

Valkyrie held the gun tightly to her temple.

"Nobody move," she repeated quietly.

The muscles on her arm stood out with sharp, carved lines as she pushed back the hammer of the gun. Her black hair contrasted boldly with her pale face, but her eyes shone with a strange light.

"I will shoot if you try anything."

Ghastly knew that. Not a hint of indecision showed anywhere.

His mind roiled with shock and confusion. _Why?_ She had shown no signs of...of anything. At all. _What the hell could this possibly be?_

"Val?" whispered Tanith, her voice trembling.

There were shouts of shock as more people realized what was happening.

Valkyrie threw her head back and laughed. The gun never swayed from her temple.

"You don't get it. Of course you don't."

Ghastly looked over at Skulduggery. He stood stock straight, with all of his limbs locked tightly. His arms hung uselessly at his sides, but as Ghastly watched, he reached out slightly towards Valkyrie.

She threw him a glance of contempt.

Skulduggery sagged, fists clenched. Ghastly could feel the hurt and horror radiating from him in great pulses.

"I never realized how surrounded by small-minded people I am," Valkyrie continued. "You see, before now, I also didn't understand what the Sanctuaries are doing to people. Oh, but you don't understand this yet. You lot still think you know who it is you're talking to."

China frowned in confusion.

"You're talking to her body. Physically, this is Valkyrie. But mentally? Let's just say that she's taking a little nap. So I'm not afraid of pulling the trigger and blowing her pretty little brains all over the walls. And you _still_ don't get it."

Skulduggery stiffened again. "Then why don't you explain it to us, whoever you are," he said in a voice that was devoid of emotion.

Valkyrie's laugh sounded through the silent foyer again.

"Darren Wield is a brilliant man with brilliant plans and ideals. The Sanctuaries don't understand this. They look at him and see a dangerous under miner. He looks at you and sees a selfish power that hugs magic to its chest like a spoilt, bratty toddler who doesn't want to share. Magic should belong to the masses. But there's a barrier, and that barrier is the Sanctuary concept, oppressing the people."

Behind her, an office door opened, and Grand Mage Ravel looked out to see what was going on. At the sight of Valkyrie with a gun to her own head, his face went slack with shock.

Valkyrie's voice carried on. "So when Mr. Wield saw the two top Sanctuary detectives out by themselves, he couldn't resist the opportunity to make a tiny example out of the Irish Sanctuary. And that's how sweet baby Valkyrie Cain ended up in our hands."

She began a slow, sweeping walk around the room as she continued talking.

"We just wanted to convince her to follow our patterns of thought. Now _that_ would have been hilarious: Top Detective Switches Sides. Man, what a headline that would have made." Valkyrie chuckled softly. Then her expression turned to one of anger. "She didn't cooperate. Her will is unusually strong, and try as we might, she didn't turn."

Valkyrie's walk led her to Skulduggery. "Oh, I can feel the connection here. All of this body's tissue is aching to go to him. It's almost a physical draw." She laid her free hand on Skulduggery's chest and smoothed the lapels of his suit. He flinched at her touch. "You know, you were the reason she wouldn't listen to us. She just kept whispering your name and turning away. Cute, really."

She turned to address the rest of the gathering. "There's something else you should get about Mr. Wield. He can convince you with his words of truth. Not magic. In fact, his chosen discipline is just elemental, nothing special at all. But we, his followers, are loyal to him. And we would do _anything_ for him. So we will kill."

She smiled sweetly. "Come on, didn't you think it was just a little too easy to rescue your precious Val? Sorcerers that don't throw any serious blows? Only one guard for this little critter here?" — she gestured at herself — "Oh, you, my friends have been set up."

Valkyrie's finger tightened on the trigger of the gun.

"Also, when this girl dies, you're gonna lose your other detective too – to insanity."

She cackled insanely.

Abruptly, Valkyrie gagged. Her eyes widened, and the gun slipped through her fingers.

She clutched at it as it was about to hit the ground. "Gotcha, you little bugger," she muttered.

Then her spine arched and she collapsed, writhing. "Skulduggery," she gasped, the weird light in her eyes gone.

He ran to her side. Valkyrie sat straight upright and pointed the gun at him, eyes gleaming. Her voice sounded guttural. "Get back." Skulduggery froze, but didn't retreat.

She cried out and her face strained, eyes pinched closed tightly. The gun dropped and her leg shot out and kicked it away. Her eyes flew open and she screamed, flinging out an arm in front of her. "HIM!"

A mage in the crowd panicked. He whipped his head back and forth, eyes huge and wild, searching for a way out of the crowd. What had once protected his identity now became a trap without any possibility of escape. This was the man possessing her. "Die, Cain," he snarled. Skulduggery backhanded him across the face, and he staggered. A shout of alarm echoed from the other side of the foyer.

Skulduggery whirled in time to see Valkyrie pick up his gun from the ground and turn it on herself.

A single shot rang out through the Sanctuary.

She clutched at her chest, where blood was already beginning to leak. Her gaze met his across the room. She fell to her knees, then collapsed sideways.

Skulduggery charged towards her, and a cry tore from his lips. All of her life with him, she had been in constant danger from others. None of it had prevailed. He _wouldn't_ let this be the time to take her to an early death at her own hands. Skulduggery dropped to hands and knees by her side.

"I'm sorry...I - I tried to stop but I couldn't fight him -" she gasped, body trembling. He shushed her gently, and swept her up. "It's okay. We'll get you to the doctors here. You're going to be fine."

The words fell from his mouth haphazardly. He babbled, trying to convince himself even more than he tried to convince her. Skulduggery's eyes were fixed to the dark patch on her shirt that was rapidly spreading.

Coughs began to rack her body, and blood misted Skulduggery's shirt. A faint line trickled from the corner of her lips. Her eyes stared dazedly at him.

"Hang on, Valkyrie. Keep your eyes open. Watch me, Valkyrie. Can you hear me? Valkyrie Cain!"

Her eyes slid shut.

* * *

**Hi there everyone! Hope this will thoroughly explain the dilemma of my favorite, Valkyrie Cain! Oh, also, just realized that the timing on the characters in this story is a little off, because if Val isn't dating Fletcher anymore, then Tanith should be a Remnant... I couldn't do that to you, Tanith dearest. I love you too damn much xox**

**Who else is on that list? Everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited this story! Realtawit, XxbeautifulxX134, sandjoe101, Fire Kitty 12, justrockyzxx, and of course all of you maddeningly unidentifiable Guests. xoxo to everybodyyy**

**Oh. Also. Sorry about another cliffhanger:P**

**Please rate&review, follow, favorite, or PM me, and I'll return the attention to you! There will be one more instalment in Someone to Save You and then I'm starting a new story. Leave me ideas in your reviews for the next one or PM me! MUAH!**


	8. Ironic

Valkyrie's head lolled back. Her hair swung gently as if caught in an unseen breeze. She looked ethereal.

Skulduggery broke into a sprint. He dashed through the deserted passages to the Infirmary. The fluorescent lights flickered overhead. The cold walls threw back the sound of his footsteps. The flagstones absorbed the drops of blood that fell from Valkyrie's chest.

Skulduggery skidded around the last corner and arrived at the Infirmary. He slammed through the double doors.  
"Nye!"

Something long-limbed stirred behind one of the curtained beds that lined the room. It sat up slowly and stretched.

"The good detective calls to interrupt my nap. How can I help you, kind sir," it mocked, voice dripping with cynicism.

Skulduggery pushed past it and laid Valkyrie on a bed. Her skin looked grey and her breathing was strained and uneven. "Hold on," he whispered.

Behind him, Nye cracked its knuckles. "You'll want me to patch her up, I assume." It stepped closer and parted her jacket with its long fingers. It frowned slightly. "Ah, you come with a challenge for me. This one is complex, complex indeed," it mused. "Very well. You may leave now."

Skulduggery opened his mouth to protest, but a hand landed heavily on his shoulder. "Thank you, Doctor," said Ravel. "I brought Clarabelle to help you out."

Nye grumbled and shooed them vaguely by flapping his hand as Clarabelle took her place by his side. Ravel reeled Skulduggery out of the room as the Sanctuary doctor pulled a sheet over Valkyrie's prone body.

The door shut, leaving the two men out in the hall. Ravel turned to look at Skulduggery. "She's going to be fine," he reassured. Skulduggery rubbed his bony hands across his skull, and leaned back against the wall. He looked up at his friend.  
"I'm worried about the damage she can do to herself. Today she almost shot herself - twice. Maybe it wasn't her own doing. But she's a weapon in herself, and others can use it against her."

Ravel opened his mouth, then shut it again, unsure of what to say. All of a sudden, someone came barreling around the corner, colliding with his back. Ravel stumbled forward.

"Oh. Sorry," said Tanith. "Didn't see you there, Grand Mage." She smiled sheepishly, then refocused on Skulduggery.

"She's okay. Nye is operating right now," Skulduggery informed her before she could ask.

Tanith sighed with relief. "Thank god," she mumbled. "My legs feel like jelly." With a chuckle, she sat down at the base of the wall and crossed her ankles.

Skulduggery joined her, stretching his legs out in front of him. He stared at the door in front of them that concealed the Infirmary and all of its goings-on.

Ravel plunked down next to Tanith, and tried to lay his head in her lap. She laughed and pushed him away. "Sorry, Erskine, but I'm a one man woman."

He salt bolt upright and stared at her.

She tilted her head questioningly.

"Did Ghastly ask you out?" he ventured.

Tanith beamed.

Ravel leapt to his feet with a shout of triumph. He yanked her up and swung her around. "Oh, man, I've been waiting for that to happen for much too long." Ravel grabbed her arm and thrust it in the air like she had just won a boxing competition. Tanith squealed with laughter. "This, m'lady, calls for a round of drinks on me. And well even bring that scoundrel boyfriend of yours." He wiggled his eyebrows and Tanith's grin widened.

They both looked down at Skulduggery. "Congrats, Tanith," he said simply, a smile in his voice.

Ravel stared in shock. "What, no cynicism? No snarkiness? Not even *sarcasm*?"

Skulduggery shrugged. Ravel continued gaping.

"Oh, go now before I begin to feel the urge to complement you on those robes," he said irritably.

Ravel grinned. "That's better."

"So you're not going to come for drinks, then," Tanith inferred.

"Valkyrie's here," he stated.

"When she wakes up, tell her that I love her and that I will soon be rudely barging into her rest hours to bother her. And say that with affection," she ordered. "Oh, and tell her that I hope she gets better soon," added Ravel.

Skulduggery nodded, then watched them leave. He settled back and, with one more lingering look at the shut door, settled back.

* * *

The Infirmary door opened with a slight creak.

Skulduggery was on his feet and moving through the entrance before it had even finished widening fully. He nodded to Nye as he passed by. The doctor wrinkled its forehead in what was probably supposed to be a lift of the eyebrows. "I have moved her into the back room for her recovery time," Nye informed Skulduggery as it trailed behind him. "The surgery went well, and I predict a full and speedy recovery. I singlehandedly reattached every one of your partner's destroyed arteries, and reformed the crushed chambers of her heart. I also removed some splinters that were threatening the integrity of the immune system. Blood pressure is normal and..." It trailed off. "Very well, you aren't listening anyways." Nye turned and returned to its taken bed in the corner, thoughtfully pulling at the black thread that pierced its lips.

* * *

Skulduggery reached the door to the back rooms, and gently turned the handle to let himself in. A bright, white, sterile environment greeted him. The smell of lemon cleaning agent and starched sheets wafted through the quiet room.

Valkyrie stirred under the sheets of her bed, placed against the center of the back wall. Her left arm lay on top of the covers, attached to an IV drip. Skulduggery pulled a chair up next to her bed, and sat.

She moaned quietly and rolled over to face him. Her eyes stayed closed.

"Valkyrie."

"Dia duit," she mumbled.

"Pardon?"  
"I'm not a complete idiot, you know." She grinned sleepily.  
"I'm lost."  
"I do think you are."  
"Do you know who I am?"  
"How could I forget?"  
He sighed with relief.  
"You're my conscience."  
Skulduggery tensed. "Um."  
Valkyrie laughed and opened her eyes."Duh. I know who you are, Skulduggery."  
"I am kind of your conscience though." "*How?* You're the one who made me violent. You taught me to punch people."  
"Only the ones who need a good hit to clear up their minds a tad. But for the record, I prefer power slaps."

She smiled and stared deep into his face, then reached out and curled her fingers through his. "It means hello. Dia duit. Irish Gaelic."  
"Well in that case, hello to you too. And I don't think you're a complete idiot."  
"Really?"  
"No. You're just a partial idiot. For many reasons."  
"I'll just view that as a complement. I take what I can get."

Skulduggery tilted his head in a smile and took a moment to look her over, scanning for damage. The edge of a bandage wrapped about her chest poked out of the blankets, and a fading line of stitches perched above her eyebrow. Absentmindedly, he traced it with a finger. Valkyrie sighed contentedly, and closed her eyes. His finger traced along her jaw line, and his thumb brushed just south of her eyelashes.  
"I wanted to thank you. For coming to get me."  
He stroked her cheek lightly.  
"I don't know what I would have done without you."  
She leaned her head against his palm. "I've found the one to save me."  
Skulduggery said quietly, "The man who killed so many, took so many innocent lives, who served on the side of Mevolent, who brought himself back from death by the force of his rage?"

Valkyrie kissed his palm. "Isn't it ironic?" She began to hum a few bars of the song. Skulduggery joined in, and their voices harmonized, twisting around each other, and filling the empty room with the sound of singing.

* * *

***Sob*. It's over now. I think I'm going to miss this story. I really enjoyed writing it, and I loved all of your kind reviews for me. I hope that you don't think this ending is too cheesy but you all know that Skulkyrie/Valduggery is kind of my lifelong dream, so I splurged a little.**

**Again, leave me a message/review about what I should do for my next story! **

**Please rate&review, follow, favorite, or PM! I hope you enjoyed Someone to Save You.**

**~PierDreams**


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